


Beyond Compare

by vix_spes



Series: Greek Myths verse [1]
Category: Basic Instinct (Movies), Clash of the Titans (2010), Hannibal Extended Universe - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Greek Mythology, Bittersweet, Fluff, Greek Mythology - Freeform, Hannibal Extended Universe, Inspired by Art, M/M, Nymphs & Dryads, Rare Pairings, flowerbear - Freeform, hannigram AU, merman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-08
Updated: 2017-12-08
Packaged: 2019-02-12 03:13:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12950061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vix_spes/pseuds/vix_spes
Summary: After losing his family years ago, Draco had never expected to find someone else.





	Beyond Compare

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LeWendigogo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeWendigogo/gifts), [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> So, a couple of weeks ago, the amazing Le-Wendigogo posted [this gorgeous piece of FlowerBear art](https://adam-flowerboy-towers.tumblr.com/post/167478889596/yes-draco-adams-putting-flowers-in-your-hair) and somehow we and PersephoneSiren started talking about how cool it would be with mermaids and this plot bunny hasn't left my head so here we go!

Draco propelled himself through the water with powerful flips of his tail, trying to put as much distance in between himself and the rest of his kind as possible. The group of mermaids and mermen that he had lived with for years had recently been joined by several mermaids from waters elsewhere off the coast of Greece and, as soon as they had heard that Draco’s wife and child had been killed years ago, they had been utterly shameless in their pursuit of him. Draco had said many times that he wasn’t interested in them but that didn’t seem to make a difference; still they persisted. When they are the other mermen and maids had been distracted by a ship of Aegean soldiers, Draco had seized his opportunity.

Besides, how could he be interested in them when a creature beyond compare had ensnared him wholly months ago.

For many years, after the death of his family, Draco had been consumed with rage and a need for revenge. He had revelled in using his abilities to wreak destruction on ships in the waters around Greece, luring ships onto rocks or currents that they couldn’t possibly sail on so that the ships capsized, and sailors drowned. Even so, whilst part of Draco had revelled in the power that he commanded over life and death, in the havoc that he wrought but a greater part of him recognised that his behaviour would never be able to bring back his family and neither would it fill the emptiness that he felt within him.

Draco had been convinced that he would feel that emptiness for the rest of his very long life but, then, he had met Adam.

He had been out swimming and, hearing a voice far more beautiful than any mermaid he had ever heard, had swam up a shallow inlet towards one of Apollo’s sanctuaries. There, he had seen one of the most entrancing creatures that he had ever seen; a kraneiai. A spirit of the cherry trees. Robed in a gauzy tunic of blush pink that just about clung to one shoulder and was short enough to show off his endless legs, the kraneiai had cherry blossoms woven through his dark curls which danced in the breeze. Moving silently through the water, Draco settled himself in the shallows, hidden so that he didn’t disturb the fey creature.

He didn't know how long he lay there in the shallows listening to the kraneiai sing, occasionally poking his head up so that he could see the lithe body move gracefully around the grotto. It was only as dusk fell and the kraneiai melted back into its tree that Draco finally swam away. He told himself that he wasn't going to return the following day but, irrespective of his intentions, he found himself lying in the shallows once more listening to songs sweeter than that of any mermaid. As he did so, he couldn't help but wonder at whether the creature was male or female as its beauty was somewhat androgynous. It didn't matter to Draco either way; he was simply curious. He had been visiting Apollo’s sanctuary every day for a week when the fey creature spoke to him.

“Are you ever going to show yourself or are you simply going to hide and spy on me?”

Draco was more than a little surprised that he had been caught as he had taken every precaution that he could. “What if I said that I was hiding to spare you from having to look upon me?”

Draco was not a vain man. He knew that, amongst his own kind, he was considered to be very attractive with his muscular body and tail, veritable pelt of chest hair, sharp, bearded features and the long hair that he wore braided back from his face. However, there was a huge difference between being considered attractive by other mer-people and by a kraneiai. His body bore scars after a life hard lived and they could not be eradicated.

“Should that not be my decision to make? Come where I can see you. Please?”

Draco couldn’t deny the truth in the words so, taking a deep breath, he pushed away from the bank and his hiding place. It didn’t even take two flips of his tail to bring Draco to where the land sloped to the water and where he would be clearly visible to the kraneiai. Once there, he kept his eye firmly facing the ground even as cherry blossoms swirled around him, signifying the nearness of the kraneiai. Draco heard a sharply drawn breath and managed to control his flinch before it became apparent. What he wasn’t expecting was to feel fingers fluttering across his chest and trailing down one bicep.

“You made it sound as though you look like a catoblepas or some equally horrific creature, yet you are nothing of the sort. You could make Poseidon himself jealous.”

Draco scoffed and was just about to chide the kraneiai about the dangers of comparing a mere creature like him to the gods, when fingers brushed through his beard and tilted his chin up. His eyes met that of the kraneiai and Draco was transfixed.

He had never seen a creature so beautiful, neither male nor female. Wild, chocolate curls dotted around with cherry blossoms, changeable eyes that were not quite blue or green or hazel but a mix of the three fringed with the longest eyelashes Draco had ever seen and lips as pink as the blossoms on the tree that he inhabited. Draco found himself staring hungrily as the transluscent fabric slipped off Adam’s shoulder, revealing flawless smooth skin. He was so entranced that he didn’t realise that the kraneiai had spoken to him.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“I’m Adam. And who might you be?”

“Draco.”

Those full, red lips curved upwards and Draco was overcome with the desire to kiss them. To see if the kraneiai – Adam – tasted of cherries as well as wearing them in his hair. From the knowing look in those changeable eyes, Adam knew exactly Draco was thinking.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Draco. Perhaps next time you visit my waters, I can persuade you to come and talk to me rather than hiding away?”

Draco swallowed before he spoke, voice somewhat gruffer than usual. “I think that can be arranged.”

“Good.” Adam leant in so that Draco could feel his breath against his lips, before lips brushed against his cheek. “You intrigue me, Draco. I want to get to know you better.”

And it was as simple as that. Draco fell head over heels with a creature of beauty beyond compare.

 ~*~

That first initial meeting now felt as though it was an age away although, in truth, maybe only a month had passed.

Now, Draco spent every possible moment that he could with Adam. He wasn’t a fool. He knew that there was no guarantee as to how much time he and Adam had together. Whilst the gods could be cruel, they sometimes had nothing on the cruelty of humans. Life had taught Draco that already. All it took was Draco being caught in a fisherman’s nets or for humans to turn against the gods and caught down Adam’s tree in the sanctuary and that was it. It made the love that he felt for Adam more than a little bittersweet, but Draco wouldn’t change anything for the world.

Most of their time was spent in the same way, given that they were both constrained in different ways. Draco could not leave the water without dying but, for the same reason, Adam was tied to his tree. They had compromised and thus, spent most of their time on the bank by Adam’s tree. Adam sat on the bank, water lapping around his thighs and dampening the bottom of his tunic while Draco sprawled against his chest. Every so often, Draco would turn or Adam would slip so that he was straddling Draco’s tail where they would exchange passionate kisses but most of their time was spent in a far more chaste manner, simply lying in each other’s arms.

Draco had never felt this pampered or loved before and he wouldn’t give it up for the world. So many hours whiled away with Adam combing his fingers through Draco’s long hair, humming under his breath as he did so. Sometimes Adam would ask Draco to tell him stories and Draco would do so gladly, feeling long fingers braiding his gold and silver locks into braids far more elaborate than Draco ever bothered to do himself. On more than one occasion, Draco had returned to his people only to find that Adam had entwined cherry blossoms through the braids, stamping a wordless claim on Draco that he had no complaint about.

It could come to an end at any minute, Draco knew that, but he didn’t care. He was greedy, and he would take everything that Adam offered for as long as he could.

**Author's Note:**

> If you would prefer to comment on DW, you can do so [here](https://vix-spes.dreamwidth.org/288990.html)
> 
> If you'd like to share on Tumblr, the post can be found [here](http://vix-spes.tumblr.com/post/168319266890/beyond-compare-vixspes-clash-of-the-titans)


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